We are made up of cells that differ dramatically in their size, shape, function, longevity and ability to keep dividing even though, with few exceptions, every cell contains the same genome. The great diversity of cells observed in an adult human is a consequence of the different cell types expressing different profiles of genes. Failure of correct gene regulation during foetal development usually results in death or severe congenital defects, and in adult life leads to disease including cancer.

My research group uses a combination of Drosophila genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry and immunohistochemistry to study the mechanisms that transcription factors use to regulate gene expression during animal development.

2015; §Kaul, AA., §Schuster, E., and Jennings, BH., "Recent insights into Groucho co-repressor recruitment and function”, Transcription [6(1):7-11] (§equal contribution) 2014; §Kaul, AA., §Schuster, E., and Jennings, BH., "The Groucho Co-repressor is Primarily Recruited to Local Target Sites in Active Chromatin to Attenuate Transcription", PLoS Genetics [10(8):e1004595] (§equal contribution). 2013: §Harvey, R., §Schuster, E. and Jennings, BH. "Pleiohomeotic Interacts with The Core Transcription Elongation Factor Spt5 to Regulate Gene Expression in Drosophila", PLoS ONE, 22;8(7):e70184. (§equal contribution) 2013: Jennings, BH. "Pausing for thought: Disrupting the early transcription elongation checkpoint leads to developmental defects and tumorigenesis" Bioessays, vol 35, pages 553-60. 2011: Jennings, BH. "Drosophila - A Versatile Model in Biology & Medicine", Materials Today, vol 14, pages 190-195. 2008: Jennings, BH., Wainwright, SM. and Ish-Horowicz D. "Differential in vivo requirements for oligomerization during Groucho-mediated repression” EMBO Reports, vol 9, pages 76-83. 2008: Jennings, BH., and Ish-Horowicz D. “The Groucho/TLE/Grg Family of Transcriptional Corepressors” Genome Biology, Volume 9, Issue 1, Article 205. 2006: §Jennings, BH., §Pickles, LM., Wainwright SM., Roe SM., Pearl, LH. and Ish-Horowicz, D. "Molecular recognition of transcriptional repressor motifs by the WD domain of the Groucho/TLE corepressor" Molecular Cell, vol 22, pages 645-655 (§equal contribution). 2004: Jennings, BH., Shah, S., Yamaguchi, Y. Seki, M., Phillips, RG., Handa, H. and Ish-Horowicz D. "Locus-specific requirements for Spt5 in transcriptional activation and repression in Drosophila", Current Biology, vol 14, pages 1680-1684.